


every single name

by spiccato



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-11-16 09:38:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11250468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiccato/pseuds/spiccato
Summary: Itaru thinks about Banri the gangster, Banri the scientist, and Banri the brat. He also has prophetic dreams, but that’s not a big deal.(For the A3! Hanakotoba exchange)





	every single name

**Author's Note:**

> pinch hit for the A3_hanakotoba exchange, for K / @clearlykero! this is for the camellia prompt, modest splendor and longing.  
> has references to itaru's mad hatter SSR backstage (specifically the part where itaru dreams about the alice play before tsuzuru even writes it) and the plot of autumn's second play, stranger (the part where banri's a mad scientist specializing in botany to save the world)

It’s always the types like Dom who end up being the underdogs, the ones with the glasses, the ones with the crazy laugh, with all the wrong means but only the right goals. A few months ago Itaru closed his eyes and fell into a dream, a misplaced Alice staring at himself in a purple suit and a ridiculous top hat. Now he’s standing in the practice room watching the Autumn Troupe go through their lines, and each time he blinks a vision of Banri surrounded by green flickers behind his eyelids. 

It might’ve been a week ago, when he fell asleep on the couch and woke up in a cylindrical chamber. It took him a moment to realize he was floating in water, and another one to realize he could breathe it in, the liquid smooth as it slid into the thin folds of his lungs. Staring up at him from outside the chamber was Banri in a white coat, his still figure warped by the curved glass. 

At Banri’s impassive stare, Itaru only had choice words out of instinct. “Banri, you fucker,” he said, his hoarse words turning into bubbles. “Stop looking at me like that and get me out already.”

There was no response. Banri moved to the chamber next to Itaru’s, and then the next, and the next. Time folded in on itself the way it did in dreams, sloughing past days in an instant, and Itaru saw Banri tirelessly engineering towards his goal. Whatever it was Banri wanted it didn’t seem like it was coming, but he was always something of a pest, and even when his skin was splitting itself open like dry soil he was hunching over his desk with something new to mull over each time.

“Banri,” Itaru called, knocking on the glass. “Use some lotion, would you?”

This time Banri responded, looking up at him. His eyes shone sharp and his face was unmoved, all of him like steel. 

Itaru froze, every other word he had to say escaping in a bubble of laughter. It all went in slow motion from there, Banri’s lips curling into a frown, the wrinkle of it tearing past the corners of his mouth, going deeper into his skin. Banri cracked open until all Itaru could see inside was bone-deep darkness, and vines poured from every fissure on his body, brilliant green lit by stark white light. Leaves unfurled against the tile and Itaru realized he was banging against the glass, his screams trapped in bubbles, all of them calls for Banri, Banri. Wake me up, Banri. Then he woke up and Banri was standing next to the couch, pointing down at the floor. “You dropped your phone while you were sleeping.”

Itaru could only stare up at him, letting the sweat on his forehead cool and his breaths slow. Banri waited until Itaru said, “At least pick it up for me,” before elbowing his way onto Itaru’s couch. 

“Nah, just came home from class. Gonna nap.”

“Maybe nappy time will be better in your own room.”

“But what about Itaru-san’s nappy time?” Banri shrugged off his jacket and untucked his shirt. “What if he starts calling for Banwee in his sleep again?”

“Screw you,” Itaru said, sitting up. By the time he had a controller in hand Banri was already asleep, tucked against the armrest of the couch. Two days later Tsuzuru finished a script, and Itaru learned about a scientist named Dom.

So maybe Itaru does have prophetic dreams about their plays. Big deal. He’ll call home about it when he starts consistently winning the lottery.

Autumn Troupe finishes a run through of their play, splitting ways for a short break. Banri squats on the floor next to Itaru and gulps down a bottle of water.

“Your mad scientist’s not mad enough, I think,” Itaru says. “How about growing leaves on your skin first?”

“Ha?” Banri looks up at him, eyebrow cocked. “I’m an actor, not a Frankenstein botanist.”

Itaru only laughs, and the part of him still in a dream wakes up, relieved. Of course, this is Banri, an actor. Banri, a vulgar brat. Banri, never more than a few points away. Settsu Banri, a student. Banri, you fucker, falling asleep in my room again, with your stinky feet on my couch and drool down your cheek. Banri. Settsu Banri.

He could be Dom. He could be Luciano. They’re names Banri wears like suits, fitted to form and shed at the end of the day, ready for another wear. He could probably be the Mad Hatter if he wanted to, could probably be Michael too, molding every name around himself the way he styles his clothes. ‘Fashionable neo-yankee Banri’, what a phrase. Effortless in all his fire-and-ice charm Banri. 

“You did good,” Itaru finally says, sitting down next to him.

Banri makes a face. “You just insulted me earlier. Why are you suddenly being nice? Gross.”

“Chigasaki Itaru compliments are like SSRs. Even if they’re gross you accept them anyway since they’ll never come again.”

“…And you’re saying that yourself?”

“Aw, is Banwee getting shy?”

In the center of the room, Omi calls for practice to start again. Banri stands up and gives Itaru the middle finger as he walks away, but his neck and ears are a little red, and Itaru’s laughing all over again.

He wonders if Banri knows how people are drawn to him, or to his names, at least one facet of him for everyone. He’s sure the Banri named ‘Dom’ will catch eyes too, even from the background. Sharp-eyed Banri, fire-and-ice Banri. Luciano, Dom, and Banri. Itaru blinks away a dream and the one who naps next to Itaru on the couch is the one who stays. His is the name that Itaru calls.


End file.
